Saying goodbye to a beloved pet

If the world is classified into cat-people or dog-people, I'd probably align myself with the dog-people. I love the unwavering loyalty of a dog, the affection & attention that they give you, their constant companionship, and their happy wagging tails. We had a family dog growing up, and she was the best pet. We never had a cat.

However, when I moved out on my own and into an apartment, having a dog didn't seem feasible. It seemed like having a backyard was rather necessary for a dog, and besides, a dog is pretty high-maintenance. So, I got a cat. His name was Katmandu. We found Katmandu from the local SPCA and took him home. Katmandu was a lovely indoor/outdoor cat, and it wasn't long before we wanted him to have a friend for company.

Camouflage and I were fated to be together; I found her at the local animal hospital and fell in love with her instantly. Her multi-coloured fur was beautiful, and I loved how a line down her face & nose divided her in half, one side grey & one side tan. Her patchy colours looked just like army camouflage. However, I couldn't take her home right away; I was moving, and I wouldn't be settled for 3 more weeks. I told the animal hospital that I would come back, and if she was there, I would take her home with me.

Three weeks later, and true to my word, I came back to get her. She was still there, miraculously. They told me that during the last three weeks, Cami had been taken home THREE times by people, and all 3 times she'd been brought back: a wife didn't get a husband's permission, someone found out they were allergic to cats, and someone decided that they didn't "have room." I like to think she was just waiting for me.

Over the years she has been a terrific cat. She was dainty, and didn't like to be picked up, but she was affectionate and loved to be pet. She was sweet, and often "talked" to you if you addressed her. She loved to perch up on high places or inside boxes, and she always greeted you in the morning. She purred like crazy. The vet said that she was so well-behaved that she should be a "model" cat and used as an example in vet school. She was pretty angelic. She really never did anything wrong or got into anything. She was no dog, but she definitely was a sweetheart of a cat.

A few nights ago, we had to put Cami down. She had kidney damage (this, we knew about), lung cancer (this, we didn't know), and for some reason couldn't stand up or walk. She yowled in pain and she could hardly breathe. It came on so suddenly. We struggled with considering other choices: waiting until morning, taking her home, getting a third and fourth opinion. But in the end I just couldn't bear to see her in pain. The vet was not optimistic, more test results wouldn't change anything, and waiting just wouldn't help. We made the call; it was her time. We stayed with her and talked to her and petted her until she was at peace. It was so sad.

Pets give us unconditional love. They give us their whole lives. We gain so much from them. And in return, we have to endure times when they are sick and can't tell us, in pain and need it to stop. If we don't make the hard decisions, they will try and try and try, just to please us. This is a heavy burden to bear, but worth it I think.

Cami will be missed and her memory will be treasured. She was a great cat. I made two picture slideshows to commemorate her. The first one is just photos with a sad song playing; the lyrics convey the sadness of her passing. The second one is photos interspersed with the poem "The Last Battle" and some classical music. They are both very sad, but I am glad that I made them. They really helped me to grieve and to honour her.

Sadness warning alert:
Saying Goodbye to Cami
Goodbye Sweet Cami

To all pet-owners out there: give your pet some extra affection today. And treasure your moments with them.

"I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul."

-Jean Cocteau